Disturbed Body Weight Control in Geriatric Rats: a Model for Anorexia in Alzheimers

Abstract

Insufficient oral intake of food and undernutrition are common occurrences in the elderly. Community based surveys of elderly populations and studies of institutionalized elderly patients have found a significant percentage to have low food intake and to be undernourished (1). In one survey, caloric intake of less then 1000 kcal/day was found for more than one sixth of community-living elderly over age 60 in the United States (2). Studies of elderly residents of nursing homes and hospitals have also revealed a high percentage of persons to be undernourished, a situation associated with poor health outcomes (3–10). In a recent 2-year longitudinal study on a group of 300 outpatients at a Veterans Hospital, 11–13% demonstrated a significant (5 kg or more) weight loss over the period of follow-up (11). Weight loss is also commonly observed in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DAT). Several recent studies have shown that DAT patients weigh less (12–14) and have lower body fat (12, 13) then non-demented or multiinfarct demented patients.